TikTok has turned ad campaigns into cultural events, subject to instant parody, politicization and backlash. An ad is no longer a one-way communication from brand-to-customer — it's open-source content, essentially co-authored in real time by millions of viewers with an iPhone and an opinion. For brands, this means every campaign also initiates a referendum — on the product, on the creative and, often, on the values behind it.
